Powers Within
by Celeste Tsuki-Koi
Summary: Sorry about the delay!!!! Just revised ch.1 and have new ch, so R&R!! After learning of her magical heritage, Erika must find the power that is buried deep within herself to fight the evil that threatens a world.
1. Default Chapter

Hello everyone!!! My name is Celeste Tsuki-Koi (which means moon lover, Hehe!) This is the first fanfic I have ever written, so please be gentle. I actually started writing this when I was younger so it might not be that good. I have never done this before, but reading so many other fanfics, I have been inspired and I just want to thank everyone who has ever written a fanfic. You people are the ones that keep me going in life. So thank you very much. {Also I would like to add that I am not able to use a computer very often so it may be awhile before I can put any new chapters up SORRY} Anyway on with the fic!!!!  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the unicorn chronicles, but I own Erika. She's MINE!!!!! I also added some other characters, some I created. Enjoy the fic!!  
  
  
  
  
  
Erika knew something was wrong when he started following her car.  
  
  
  
She noticed him a week ago when she was shopping with her friend Laura. Laura saw him first and thought that he was cute.  
  
"Oh, look over there at that cute guy on the bench, Erika. He's soo cute! What do you say we go over there and talk to him? I'll bet he likes you," she said then giggled.  
  
Erika looked over at him. He had dark red hair and light brown eyes. But even though he was kind of cute, when he looked at Erika and smiled, his smile did not reach his eyes and when she looked in them all she saw there was an emptiness that went to the soul and watching him made a shiver race down her spine.  
  
"No," she said, "I don't really feel up to it." Laura sighed heavily. "I'm sorry but I really need to finish up shopping and get home. Besides," she gave one more look at the boy staring at her, "I don't really think I would have liked him very much. I'll bet he's at least twenty-two."  
  
"So what? You'll be eighteen in nine days and then it wouldn't be illegal," Said Laura and looked over at Erika. The look she gave Laura made her cringe and giggle. "I didn't mean it, really. I was just joking!"  
  
"Come on," growled Erika, also giggling," I have to get home by nine."  
  
And after that, Erika saw him once or twice a day. She called the police twice, but they did not seem to even care and Erika was getting very frustrated and scared.  
  
Today was different, though. It was four days until her birthday and today she saw him following her in a car. She knew that he was not just after her because he could have gotten her any time. He must be trying to find her house, Erika thought, and she was not about to let him have the upper hand.  
  
When she sped up, he followed. She went well over the speed limit, then, and turned a few wrong corners until she could not see him and was sure that he was not following her anymore. She then went to a parking lot close to her house and got all her stuff, which was not much, out of her car and locked all the doors and started walking. Erika did this to make sure that if she had not lost him as good as she thought, he would not see her car in her driveway and know where she lived. It was only a matter of time before he finally found her house on his own.  
  
When she was finally at home, Erika raced up the steps to her house. She found her mother, Maya, in the living room having a cup on tea while watching a movie. Erika walked over to her mother and said, "Mother I'm afraid we have to leave the house for a while, so you need to go pack some clothes."  
  
"Whatever for Arabella?" Her mother always called her Arabella because that was her middle name and her mother loved that name so much that Erika did not mind her mother calling her that.  
  
"I'm sorry, mother, but I don't have time to explain right now. Just go pack some clothes and get your 'lovely'," that was what her mother called her favorite piece of jewelry.  
  
Maya did as her daughter asked. She did not like how her daughter had been acting these past few days before her birthday and she hoped this was not the time that she had been dreading for so long.  
  
  
  
  
  
Only when they were finally in the road, with Erika driving her mother's car, did she finally start to relax.  
  
"Now, Arabella, will you please tell me what this is about?" Maya questioned.  
  
"There has been a man stalking me for five days now and today he tried to follow me home," Erika said, somewhat briefly.  
  
"Do you know what is causing him to follow you," asked her mother. Erika detected a note of fear in her mother's voice.  
  
"No. All I know is that the first time I saw him was when I went shopping with Laura Saturday. He could have been following me longer than that for all I know. I called the police, but either they didn't believe me or they just didn't care. Maybe you have seen him around. He has really red hair and weird looking eyes that gave me the shivers. I think he is about twenty or so." Erika noticed that her mother paled when she mentioned the man's hair and eyes. "Mother, I think you know something about what's going on. If you know something, anything, tell me. I can take it. After all, I'm probably the only person my age, who still believes in unicorns."  
  
At that, her mother laughed. When she stopped, her expression turned very serious. "Do you trust me," Erika's mother asked.  
  
"More that anyone I know," replied Erika instantly.  
  
"Then go to Palms Park," Maya knew that the day had finally come for her daughter, and she felt a great sorrow for her daughter. For Maya knew that her daughter was going to go on the most wondrous adventure of her young life, but the fate of another world rested on Erika's shoulders, and she knew nothing of the purpose of the amulet or of her own remarkable powers that lie sleeping in her. But she will soon find out, thought Maya, and unfortunately I will not be there in person to help guide her, and she turned away from her daughter so Erika would not see the tears rolling down her cheeks.  
  
When they reached Palm Park, five hours later, Erika parked the car where no one would notice. She then stretched her tense muscles and gave an exhausted sigh.  
  
Maya also sighed and then said," turn around and I will braid your hair and get it out of your face." She did as her mother said and let her mother braid her long hair. "You know, I love your hair. It's so long and thick. It's already down to your hips. I thought you would have gotten it cut and dyed it like your friend Laura did. If I hadn't have named you Erika, I would have named you Raven because your hair is so black. And your eyes, you know, I've never seen anyone with that color green that you have. They are as green as summer grass. Now that I think of it, the only other person I have seen with eye resembling yours was you grandmother, Marie, but even her eyes weren't that green."  
  
Erika knew her mother loved to admire her. Ever since her father died, she was the only other person her mother really cared about, so she didn't really mind when her mother got into one of her mothering fazes. She let her finish her praised without interrupting her and when Maya finished, they were both tired and sleepy from the long journey here.  
  
"So what do we do now, mother?"  
  
"Well there's not much we can do right now, since it's midnight and the park is closed now, but he will find out where we have gone, so we must get in now and sleep inside the park. That way, it will be easier to get where we are going."  
  
"Where are we going, mother," Erika asked as she was getting out of the car. She opened the trunk and started getting her pack out. She opened her pack to make sure she had everything she needed. She was very glad now that she decided to wear her moccasins she learned to make from her nanny, Snow Flower, who was a nice old Cheyenne Indian. In her pack were some clothes, a hairbrush, some rubber bands, and other little necessities. She then checked her secret pocket in the side, where she kept all her small knives (????????????????????) She also had one hidden in her left moccasin, because she was left handed, just in case something happened. She brought her favorite bow, given to her as a gift from Snow Flower, and a quiver full of arrows.  
  
Well, at least those years of learning survival and weaponry from Snow Flowers tribe wasn't for nothing, Erika thought. She was one of the best marksmen in the tribe. When they had gotten all they had needed from the car, Erika and her mother went to the eight-foot high fence surrounding the park. Erica helped her mother to climb over the fence first, and then Erika, almost effortlessly, climbed the fence. She was a natural at climbing. She had scaled two mountains with her friends before, so this fence was not much of a challenge. After that, they walked into the forest and found a nice spot to rest under an old Pine tree.  
  
"Right now, Arabella, we go to sleep, but tomorrow we are going to a hidden underground cave as soon as we wake up. Also, about the man that has been following you. He is called a Hunter. He is after the amulet, and he is also after you. It will take too long to explain it all to you at the moment, but whatever happens, he must not get the amulet." Maya hands Erika the amulet. "Protect it with you life, Arabella. Promise me that no matter what, you will not let him, or anybody that is evil, lay their hands on it. Please, promise me!"  
  
Erika takes the amulet from her mother's outstretched hand, "I promise, mother. I promise."  
  
As Erika took the amulet, it vibrated and glowed as if testing its new owner. It stopped and somehow Erika could feel that it accepted her. She turned it around and looked at it. It was a very beautiful piece of jewelry. It was oval-shaped with five emeralds surrounding the center, it was solid gold and in the middle was a silver-white piece of braided unicorn hair encased in some sort of crystal-like substance. It was undoubtedly the most beautiful necklace Erika had ever seen.  
  
"It is one of the five. It will get us to Luster to warn the queen of the hunters. Now get some sleep, Arabella. We have to get up early tomorrow."  
  
"Good night, mother."  
  
"Goodnight, Arabella. Sleep sweet."  
  
"Sleep sweet, too mother," Erika said as she began to nod off.  
  
  
  
  
  
Later in the night, when they were both asleep, Erika felt that something was going to happen. As Erika slept, she dreamed that the hunter was parking his car next to her mother's. The sun was just starting to rise and he was going through her mother's car looking for something. Erika knew he was looking for the amulet. Then he angrily slammed the car door, and getting his own pack, walked over to the fence and climbed over. As he jumped down off the fence and started walking in the direction of where she and her mother were sleeping, everything went black.  
  
  
  
TBC..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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Sorry about the cliffhanger, but I don't know if I should keep going. If you liked what you read so far, please review. I think that I will do some revising. Ja ne!!  
  
  
  
Celeste Tsuki-Koi 


	2. (Revised) Chapter 1

I'm SOOOOOOOOOO sorry it took so long to get these chapters out!! I had to revise the first one and then I couldn't find my other ones, so I had to start sorta from scratch. Please understand. I don't have a computer at home and the only way to write it is to write it on paper, then type it on a computer at school or the library. And then I have to go to a friends house to be able to put it on fanfiction.net because the computers at my school and library don't allow this sight. I have no idea why. It's just so stupid. I hope to have more chapters out to you sooner. If any of you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me at: Celeste_TsukiKoi@hotmail.com. I will try to reply to all e-mails sent. See- ya!!!  
  
  
  
Hello everyone!!! My name is Celeste Tsuki-Koi (which means moon lover, Hehe!) This is the first fanfic I have ever written, so please be gentle. I actually started writing this when I was younger so it might not be that good. I have never done this before, but reading so many other fanfics, I have been inspired and I just want to thank everyone who has ever written a fanfic. You people are the ones that keep me going in life. So thank you very much. {Also I would like to add that I am not able to use a computer very often so it may be awhile before I can put any new chapters up SORRY} Anyway on with the fic!!!!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the unicorn chronicles, but I own Erika. She's MINE!!!!! I also added some other characters, some I created. Enjoy the fic!!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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Erika knew something was wrong when he started following her car.  
  
  
  
She noticed him a week ago when she was shopping with her friend Laura. Laura saw him first and thought that he was cute.  
  
  
  
"Oh, look over there at that cute guy on the bench, Erika. He's soo cute! What do you say we go over there and talk to him? I'll bet he likes you," she said then giggled.  
  
  
  
Erika looked over at him. He had dark red hair and light brown eyes. But even though he was kind of cute, when he looked at Erika and smiled, his smile did not reach his eyes and when she looked in them all she saw there was an emptiness that went to the soul and watching him made a shiver race down her spine.  
  
  
  
"No," she said, "I don't really feel up to it." Laura sighed heavily. "I'm sorry but I really need to finish up shopping and get home. Besides," she gave one more look at the boy who was now staring at her, "I don't really think I would have liked him very much. I'll bet he's at least twenty- two."  
  
  
  
"So what? You'll be eighteen in nine days and then it wouldn't be illegal," said Laura and looked over at Erika. The look she gave Laura made her cringe and giggle. "I didn't mean it, really. I was just joking!"  
  
  
  
"Come on," growled Erika, also giggling," I have to get home by nine."  
  
  
  
  
  
And after that, Erika saw him once or twice a day. She called the police twice, but they didn't seem to even care and Erika was getting very frustrated and scared.  
  
  
  
Today was different, though. It was four days until her birthday and today she saw him following her in a car. She knew that he was not just after her because he could have gotten her before then. He must be trying to find her house, Erika thought, and she was not about to let him have the upper hand.  
  
  
  
When she sped up, he followed. She went well over the speed limit, then, and turned a few wrong corners until she could not see him and was sure that he was not following her anymore. She then went to a parking lot close to her house and got all her stuff, which was not much, out of her car and locked all the doors and started walking. Erika did this to make sure that if she had not lost him as good as she thought, he would not see her car in her driveway and know where she lived. It was only a matter of time before he finally found her house on his own.  
  
  
  
When she was finally at home, Erika raced up the steps to her house. She found her mother, Maya, in the living room having a cup on tea while watching a movie. Erika walked over to her mother and said, "Mother I'm afraid we have to leave the house for a while, so you need to go pack some clothes."  
  
  
  
"Whatever for Arabella," Maya questioned.  
  
  
  
Her mother always called her Arabella. It was her middle name and her mother loved that name so much that Erika didn't mind her mother calling her that.  
  
  
  
"I'm sorry, mother, but I don't have time to explain right now. Just go pack some clothes and get your 'lovely'," that was what her mother called her favorite piece of jewelry.  
  
  
  
Maya did as her daughter asked. She did not like how her daughter had been acting these past few days before her birthday and she hoped this was not the time that she had been dreading for so long.  
  
  
  
Only when they were finally in the road, with Erika driving her mother's car, did she finally start to relax.  
  
  
  
"Now, Arabella, will you please tell me what this is about?" Maya questioned.  
  
  
  
"There has been a man stalking me for five days now and today he tried to follow me home," Erika said, somewhat briefly.  
  
  
  
"Do you know what is causing him to follow you," asked her mother. Erika detected a note of fear in her mother's voice.  
  
  
  
"No. All I know is that the first time I saw him was when I went shopping with Laura Saturday. He could have been following me longer than that for all I know. I called the police, but either they didn't believe me or they just didn't care. Maybe you have seen him around. He has really red hair and weird looking eyes that gave me the shivers. I think he is about twenty or so." Erika noticed that her mother paled when she mentioned the man's hair and eyes. "Mother, I think you know something about what's going on. If you know something, anything, tell me. I can take it. After all, I'm probably the only person my age, who still believes in unicorns."  
  
  
  
At that, her mother laughed. When she stopped, her expression turned very serious. "Do you trust me," Erika's mother asked.  
  
  
  
"More that anyone I know," replied Erika instantly.  
  
  
  
"Then go to Palms Park," Maya knew that the day had finally come for her daughter, and she felt a great sorrow for her daughter. For Maya knew that her daughter was going to go on the most wondrous adventure of her young life, but the fate of another world rested on Erika's shoulders, and she knew nothing of the purpose of the amulet or of her own remarkable powers that lie sleeping in her. But she will soon find out, thought Maya, and unfortunately I will not be there in person to help guide her, and she turned away from her daughter so Erika would not see the tears rolling down her cheeks.  
  
  
  
When they reached Palm Park, five hours later, Erika parked the car where no one would notice. She then stretched her tense muscles and gave an exhausted sigh.  
  
  
  
Maya also sighed and then turned to face her daughter and said," Turn around and I will braid your hair and get it out of your face." She did as her mother said and let her mother braid her long hair. "You know, I love your hair. It's so long and thick. It's already down to your hips. I thought you would have gotten it cut and dyed it like your friend Laura did. If I hadn't have named you Erika, I would have named you Raven because your hair is so black. And your eyes, you know, I've never seen anyone with that color green that you have. They are as green as summer grass. Now that I think of it, the only other person I have seen with eye resembling yours was you grandmother, Marie, but even her eyes weren't that green."  
  
  
  
Erika knew her mother loved to admire her. Ever since her father died, she was the only other person her mother really cared about, and she loved to brag on her so she didn't really mind when her mother got into one of her mothering fazes. She let her finish her praising without interrupting her and when Maya finished, they were both tired and sleepy from the long journey here.  
  
  
  
"So what do we do now, mother?"  
  
  
  
"Well there's not much we can do right now, since it's midnight and the park is closed now, but he will find out where we have gone, so we must get in now and sleep inside the park. That way, it will be easier to get where we are going."  
  
"Where are we going, anyway, mother," Erika asked as she was getting out of the car. She opened the trunk and started getting her pack out. She opened her pack to check and see that she had everything she needed. She was glad now that she decided to wear her moccasins she learned to make from her nanny, Snow Flower, who was a wise old Cheyenne medicine woman. In her pack were clothes, a hairbrush, some rubber bands, and other little necessities. She then checked her secret pocket in the side of her pack, where she kept all her small knives and other weapons. She also had one she always carried, hidden in her left moccasin, because she was left handed, just in case something happened. She brought her favorite bow, given to her as a gift from Snow Flower, and a quiver full of arrows.  
  
Well, at least those years of learning survival and weaponry from Snow Flower's tribe wasn't for nothing, Erika thought. She was one of the best marksmen in the tribe. She also studied many different styles of defense and knew how to use all kinds of weapons from all the classes she had taken. When they had gotten all they had needed from the car, Erika and her mother went to the eight-foot high fence surrounding the park. Erica helped her mother to climb over the fence first, and then Erika, almost effortlessly, climbed the fence. She was a natural at climbing. She had scaled two mountains with her friends before, so this fence was not much of a challenge. After that, they walked into the forest and found a nice spot to rest under an old Pine tree.  
  
"Right now, Arabella, we go to sleep, but tomorrow we are going to a hidden underground cave as soon as possible. Also, about the man that has been following you. He is called a Hunter. He is after the amulet, and he is also after you. It will take too long to explain it all to you at the moment, but whatever happens, he must not get the amulet." Maya then holds the amulet out to Erika to take. "Protect it with you life, Arabella. Promise me that no matter what, you will not let him, or anyone with an evil intent, lay their hands on it. Please, promise me!"  
  
Erika takes the amulet from her mother's outstretched hand, "I promise, mother. I will protect the amulet no matter what."  
  
As Erika took the amulet, it vibrated and glowed as if testing its new owner. It stopped and Erika felt a soothing warmth spread throughout her body, and somehow she could feel that it accepted her. She turned it around in her hand and looked at it. It was a very beautiful piece of jewelry. It was oval-shaped with five emeralds surrounding the center, it was solid gold and in the middle was a silver-white piece of braided unicorn hair encased in some sort of crystal-like substance. It was undoubtedly the most beautiful necklace Erika had ever seen.  
  
  
  
"It is known as one of the five. It will get us to Luster to warn the queen of the hunters return. Now get some sleep, Arabella. We have to get up early tomorrow."  
  
  
  
"Good night, mother."  
  
  
  
"Goodnight, Arabella. Sleep sweet."  
  
  
  
"Sleep sweet, mother," Erika said as she started nodding off.  
  
  
  
Later in the night, when they were both asleep, Erika felt that something was going to happen. As Erika slept, she dreamed that the hunter was parking his car next to her mother's. The sun was just starting to rise and he was going through her mother's car looking for something. Erika knew he was looking for the amulet. Then he angrily slammed the car door and, getting his own pack, walked over to the fence and climbed over. As he jumped down off the fence and started walking in the direction of where she and her mother were sleeping. Then everything went black.  
  
  
  
Erika sat up quickly from where she had been sleeping, now covered in a cold sweat and breathing heavily. Oh, God what happened? It's still dark, Erika thought, relief flooding through her. We still have time and we better get moving.  
  
  
  
As Erika was packing all of her things, her mother woke up.  
  
  
  
"What are you doing, Arabella? We do not have to go until sunrise," said Maya groggily.  
  
  
  
"Mother, I don't really know how to explain it but I think I just had a premonition when I was sleeping and the hunter will be here at sunrise, so we have to go now. We might be able to beat him to the cave, so lets hurry."  
  
  
  
TBC..  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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Not as bad as my other cliffie, huh? I will have the next chapter out soon.(Sooner than this one.) Please review if you like it. (Because if you don't, I will stop writing on this one altogether!!!) If you have any questions, e-mail me at Celeste_TsukiKoi@hotmail.com Until next time, C- ya!!!!!  
  
  
  
  
  
Celeste Tsuki-Koi 


	3. Chapter 2

Well, I hope you enjoyed chapter 1. I shall be writing more soon, so please be patient. I hope you like this chapter as well. It is somewhat sad. I just wanted to warn you. Anyway, on with the fic!!!!  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own The Unicorn Chronicles, but I own Erika!!! I will be adding other character's that probably aren't in the Unicorn Chronicles, but they aren't mine. So ON with the fic.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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Erika had already finished packing and was ready to go. Maya took her pack and lead the way. They walked for an hour before they had to rest a while.  
  
"How much farther is it mother? That hunter is most likely on our trail by now."  
  
"Actually Arabella, it is only a few feet away. I just wanted to rest a little," Maya commented. Then Maya got up and Erika followed her to the big hill in front of them. "Erika, com here and touch the ground."  
  
Erika did as she was told, and when she touched the ground, the amulet glowed and a great warmth spread though her.  
  
"Now repeat what I say. 'I call upon the amulet with its power, to aid me in this dreadful hour.'" Erika repeated the words and gasped as she felt her body heat suddenly rise as power filled her and flowed through her hands into the ground. Then there was a sudden shake and everything was the same. Them Maya went a little ways around the hill and, to Erika's astonishment, walked right through it. Cautiously, Erika followed her mother. Unbeknownst to them, there was something watching them and it was on its way to tell his master.  
  
As Erika walked through the hill, she bumped into her mother, or at least she hoped it was her mother.  
  
"Is that you mother?"  
  
"Yes Arabella, it's me. I had forgotten how dark it is in here. We need light and I guess it is time to show you. Try and find a stick if you can, dear."  
  
When Erika found one, she handed it to her mother.  
  
"Now watch closely and I will give you your first magic lesson. This is more of a parlor trick, but it can be used for much more," and to Erika's amazement, a small light glowed from her mother's hand. It was small, a little smaller that a quarter, but it glowed very bright.  
  
"You try, Erika, just hold your hand out and concentrate on a small ball of light in your hand. You will feel it when it comes. Concentrate hard," Maya said.  
  
Erika did as her mother instructed with startling affects. She closed her eyes and concentrated. She didn't have to concentrate too long when she felt heat in her hands, a soothing heat, and when she opened her eyes, a small orb of light was in her palms. It was about the same size as her mother's, just a bit smaller.  
  
"Excellent Arabella! You're a natural. You can make as large or small if you focus on the size," and when Erika did, it grew bigger and brighter than her mother's.  
  
"Now, Arabella, take it and blow it on the stick."  
  
Erika did and when she blew the ball floated on the stick, and ball seemed to be absorbed in the stick, but stayed as bright as it had been.  
  
"Mother, how can I do this?"  
  
"Oh, Arabella, you can do so much more than just a silly light trick like that, but I can't tell you now. Just trust that the questions will be answered in time. And if not by me, then by some one else."  
  
Maya took the stick from Erika and blew out her own glowing ball. They traveled down a ways then they went up a little and then they found a tunnel and when they walked through it, Erika could tell that it was manmade a long time ago. When they finally came out of the tunnel, they heard a loud crash echo from the opening.  
  
"He's found the entrance. Come Arabella, we must hurry before he catches up!"  
  
They raced down the path to where they faced an enormous whole. It was too big to jump across, and Erika sank down to her knees.  
  
"What is going to happen to us now, mother," Erika asked. They could hear him running down the tunnel.  
  
"Now listen to me and listen very carefully. There is a steep and narrow ledge just over there where you can't see. Now climb that ledge and count to twelve, when you reach twelve grab the amulet and say, 'Luster bring me home' and jump. Please trust me. When you get to Luster, seek our a dwarf named Grimwold. He can help you from there on out. Then go to the queen and tell her that Beloved is back an has recruited some magical allies. Now you must hurry. I can only hold him off for so long."  
  
"But I thought your were coming with me," Erika said as tears started flowing from you eyes. Maya swept away the stray tears and hugged her daughter lovingly.  
  
"I will always be with you, my dear Arabella. No matter what happens know that I love you and I will never leave you."  
  
Maya too was crying. Then they heard footsteps on the path to where they were.  
  
"Now you must hurry, my dear, and protect the amulet with your life," and Maya handed the stick to Erika and kissed her cheek, then she turned around and started walking down the path to where the hunter was coming. Erika was heartbroken because she knew deep down that she would never see her mother alive again, but she was going to finish her journey for her mother. She started going to side of the hole where her mother said the ledge would be. When Erika found it, she started to slowly walk across the ledge when she felt the earth rumble and shake. She accidentally dropped the stick so she had no light, and the earth finally stopped shaking, but she didn't need it by now because she was where her mother told her to jump. Erika was getting ready to count when she heard her mother scream and she stopped to listen. A light seeped through the entrance, but did not shine on Erika from the ledge, and she heard her mother grunting and could tell the hunter had her.  
  
"Alright, Erika," yelled the hunter, "come on out and hand me the amulet, and I won't hurt you."  
  
There was a pause, and Erika started to count.  
  
One.  
  
"Come out now and I won't hurt your mother."  
  
Two.  
  
"No, Arabella, never let him have it!"  
  
Three.  
  
There was a loud smack and as Erika leaned over so she could see, she gasped softly as she say her mother hanging from the edge of the hole. It was about a thirty-foot drop and Erika was filled with terror for her mother.  
  
Five.  
  
'Arabella, do not worry, my dear. Somehow I knew I wouldn't be able to accompany you on this journey. I am talking to you telepathically because we are witches. You are so much stronger than me. You will find someone in Luster to guide you in the ways of magic. You already know her, although you may have forgotten, but your memory of her will return when you two meet. I love you, my Arabella, and know that I will always be with you.'  
  
Seven.  
  
Erika didn't understand at first what her mother meant, but she had her bow in hand and an arrow already strung. She had a feeling something bad was about to happen and she wouldn't have much time, but she didn't need much time, and before the hunter could react, Erika had already taken aim. Even though it she couldn't see him in the darkness, she knew where he was because she could hear him breathing. She let the arrow fly and hit the hunter in the shoulder, about two inches above his heart, and he fell to the ground.  
  
  
  
Eight.  
  
But to Erika's utter horror, Maya let go of the ledge. Erika fell to her knees and screamed. She shut her eyes, not wanting to see her mother falling to her death. As Erika sat there, heartbroken and tears streaming down her face, she hoped and prayed that her mother was happier now.  
  
  
  
Nine.  
  
As Erika reopened her tear-filled eyes and looked for the hunter, she saw that he was already starting to cross the narrow path to where she was now. She heard him grunting and say him grimace, and she noticed that he hadn't taken the arrow out of his shoulder, just broke the end off.  
  
  
  
Ten.  
  
When he looked up from his slow, but steady progress and looked straight at Erika, she could see that he still had that cruel and evil look in his eyes, but there was something else there as well. His eyes held a lifelessness and he had nearly lost all of his earlier cuteness he had when she had first seen him.  
  
  
  
Eleven.  
  
"Give it to me, Arabella, and you won't join your mother," he said and he smiled.  
  
  
  
"Twelve," was all she said as a large tear rolled down her face. He was almost to the ledge. Erika closed her eyes and, clutching the amulet, whispered, "Luster bring me home," and threw herself from the ledge.  
  
  
  
"NO!" howled the hunter and vainly he tried to grab onto her before she fell, but wasn't fast enough, and in the process lost his balance, and dropped his flashlight and nearly fell off himself, but was able to grab onto an outstretched boulder and regained his balance. When he finally looked down all he could see was the light of his flashlight quickly dimming as it fell to the bottom, but could not see Erika anywhere.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
TBC….  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I love writing about this kind of thing. Fantasy books are my favorite to read. I will try to get the next chapter out as soon as I can. Please review and tell me what you think of my fic!!! If you have any question, or just want to talk, e-mail me at Celeste_TsukiKoi@hotmail.com I will answer all e-mails as best as I can. Gotta go!!! C-ya  
  
  
  
Celeste Tsuki-Koi 


	4. Author Note

I must beg everyone's forgiveness. I have not written any new chapters in SOO long. PLEASE FORGIVE ME. I haven't been able to get on a computer that works in so long, I was about to go crazy!!!!!!!! The only computers that I have been able to use over the years was computers at the library. They would not let me download (or is it upload?) any new chapters or author updates to any of my stories. I could only check out and review other peoples stories. I hope to start writing again soon, but seeing as I am now in college, it will take awhile so don't get your hopes up. Once again please forgive me. I hope to be writing again soon, so until then, please bare with me.

Celeste Tsuki-Koi


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